


dark blue

by shewayout



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, High School AU, M/M, one tree hill au kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-19
Updated: 2013-11-19
Packaged: 2018-01-02 02:28:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1051450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewayout/pseuds/shewayout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s a small town and people gossip. Their parents probably told them the story of how Dan Tomlinson, star football player of the Ravens, got Karen Payne pregnant before graduation and then left her to go to college only to come back three months later with Louis' pregnant mother in tow more than they told them nursery rhymes. </p><p>Features: Asshole!Louis, ShyMechanic!Liam, Tutor!Harry, TorturedArtist!Zayn, and TeenageDad!Niall</p>
            </blockquote>





	dark blue

**Author's Note:**

> okayyy so this has been in my head for so long now and idk if an oth au's ever been done in this fandom but here it is anyway. story lines are kind of mixed up so it's not exactly like oth but it's still there kind of. i got excited when i found out liam's mom's name is karen and louis' mom's boyfriend is named dan.
> 
> disclaimer: if i owned one tree hill, lucas would have ended up with brooke and rachel would have been redeemed. if i owned one direction, i would ask them to buy me a country. unfortunately, i own nothing except box sets and illegally leaked songs. 
> 
> i know next to nothing about football and the british and american school system so please bear with me! this is unbeta'd, all mistakes are mine.

Louis 

Louis is having a bad day. His car wouldn’t fucking start this morning so he was forced to get a ride with his dad, which might not seem that bad to most people but most people didn’t have Dan Tomlinson for a father. Mrs. Henderson had a talk with him after Chemistry to inform him that he was failing. Normally he wouldn’t care, his dad’s pretty powerful with the school board, the perks of having the local town sports hero for a father, probably the only perk, and he’s gotten off the hook for worse things. Last year, he stole a bus after they won the championship and all he got was a disciplinary talk that he got excused out of halfway through. But coach has been riding the team about their grades since the beginning of the year and Louis’ already missed one game for failing an English test. Fucking Whitey. And Zayn was being a total bitch to him during lunch, something about his favorite band form God knows where disbanding, like Louis had anything to do with that.

Louis is having a pretty shitty day. But this, this has got to take the fucking cake.

“Everyone, this is Liam Payne. He’s your new starting forward.” 

A series of reactions erupt from the team after Whitey’s little announcement. Half of them turn their heads to stare at their captain. Of course. It’s a small town and people gossip. Their parents probably told them the story of how Dan Tomlinson, star football player of the Ravens, got Karen Payne pregnant before graduation and then left her to go to college only to come back three months later with Louis’ pregnant mother along with stories about freakin’ Santa Claus. But Louis did not have the energy to stare them down or sneer at them. He was too busy glaring at Whitey. Whitey’s old, like ancient. He’s been coaching since Louis’ father played and even way before that. They’ve already named the field after him and everything. And Louis knew the old man hated him, but he did not expect this. How much has he pissed off Whitey in the past three years that he would do this to him? This is bullshit. His dad is going to have an aneurism.

Louis glanced over to the boy standing beside his coach. He’s wearing some old torn up hoodie and his head is turned down. What the fuck did this kid even know about football? Louis didn’t even know he played. Didn’t know he did anything other than stare at the ground.

“What happened to O’brien?” Niall asks a few feet away from Louis. O’brien was their old forward. Fucking bonehead but he knew what he was doing on the field. Most of the time, anyway.

“Idiot’s failing all his classes. I told you boys there would be repercussions if you didn’t take school seriously. Now go warm-up. ” Whitey’s stare landed on Louis, his eyes waiting for a reaction and his lips turning into a smirk. Louis continued to glare. No way is he going to blow up in front his team and the bastard. 

Niall catches up with him after practice, slinging his sweaty arm around Louis. 

“Cheer up, Tommo. Heard this guy’s actually pretty good.” Payne skived off practice because he had to go quit fucking cooking club or something, Louis wasn’t listening.

“Where does he even play?” Louis asks grumpily. He will not have an amateur ruin his chance at his third championship because of some old man’s twisted humor. 

“Greg told me he used to see him play at that old field near the river with a couple of kids from our school.” Niall answers, taking his arm off Louis and reaching for his car keys. He’s giving Louis a ride home.

“Seriously? And Whitey thinks he can handle actually playing for the school? What a fucking joke.” Louis complains as he walks over to the passenger side. Niall drives one of the oldest cars Louis’ seen but he’s a laugh and he can actually hold a conversation that’s not about cars or porn so he keeps him.

“Don’t be a twat, Lou.” Niall says once they’re in his car. “He’s still your-“

Louis cuts him off before he ruins his mood even more. “Don’t even fucking go there, Ni. Do not push me today.”

Niall raises his arms in mock surrender and starts the car. Louis rests his head back. He needs a joint. Maybe two. Fuck this day, honestly. 

-

Liam

Liam said no the first time Whitey asked him to be part of the team. He didn’t even know how Whitey knew he played until his uncle Ben came over his mom’s café one night and sat him down for a talk.

“I told him you played. I brought him to the park one night to watch you play. He thinks you’re really talented, Liam. “ Ben tells him that night when he voiced out his question.

“Now why would you do that, Ben? You know how much I don’t want anything to do with Dan and Louis-“

“But this isn’t about them, Li! This is about you and the game that you love. You’re too big, too good, to be stuck playing in the shadows just because you’ve got an asshole for a father.” Liam sometimes forgot that Ben is Dan’s older brother with the way he talked about him.

“I don’t know, Ben. That’s Louis’ team.” It’s not that Liam was scared of Louis. As far as he could see, Louis is just like every self-entitled jerk that went to his school. He just stayed away because he didn’t want anything to do with him and his father. And this, joining the team, is almost as good as asking for it.

“It’s Whitey’s team as far as I remember.” Ben takes a sip of his coffee and levels Liam with a look. Liam sighs. Sure, Dan and Louis were big factors as to why he doesn’t want to join. But there’s one more reason, one more important than any other.

“I can’t do this to mom.” Liam knew, he knew, his mom would not be totally okay with this. She won’t tell him that, of course. She’ll act supportive because that’s how she is. But it’s going to kill her to see Liam wear that uniform, it’s going to kill her to step back into that field, it’s going to kill her to be right in the middle of everything that’s been haunting her her whole life. 

Ben flinches a bit at Liam’s answer. Ben has been there for Karen since the pregnancy, never leaving her side; even way after she had Liam, filling up the space his brother should have been there for. He knows more than anyone how much she’s been through. 

“Look, I’m not asking you to decide now. Just promise me you’ll think about it, Li. Talk to your mom, see where she’s at with all of this.”

Liam hasn’t told his mom about the time Whitey cornered him outside English and brought him to his office to offer him a spot on the team. He didn’t think he needed to since he wasn’t going to join the team anyway. But Ben made sense. Why should Liam let Dan indirectly dictate what he’s going to do with his life? Why should he have to hide away forever? Liam loved football, always had. And the idea of playing in front of crowds, of winning championships, Liam hasn’t really let himself think about it but now that it’s in his head, it just won’t get out.

He walks home with his mom that night after closing up the café. They walk in silence, Ben’s words still ringing in his ear. They get to their house, the same house Liam’s known since he was a kid, small and comfortable, and Karen pats the space next to her on the couch. Liam obliges.

“Something wrong? You’ve been quiet all night.” Karen asks, thoughtfully. Liam never needed to tell her if something was bothering him, she always just knew.

“Ben came over tonight, while you were at the store.” He starts. He rests his elbows on his knees and leans forward. Karen brings a hand to his back and rubs, like she used when he was a kid and was having trouble at school (he suspects the kids he went to school with first learned the word ‘bastard’ because of Liam’s story).

“He talked to me about the, um, the football team. At school. ” Karen stops rubbing his back, this was obviously not what she was expecting. 

Liam glances up at her. She looks surprised but not mad. She nods to tell him to keep going.

“Coach Durham invited me to join the team the other day. Apparently Ben took him to watch me play and he thinks I’m good and he’s got an opening on his team…” Liam stops talking and just waits for a reaction from his mother. There is no way in hell he’s doing this if it’s going to hurt his mom. She means more than a game ever could.

“And you want to be part of the team?” She asks, Liam detects a bit of hesitation in her voice.

“I… I don’t know. It’s never really been an option until now. I just… maybe want to give it a shot? What do you think? You know I would never if-“

“I think that something that happened sixteen years ago, something that you had no fault in whatsoever, should stop making you hide away from doing things you love.” Liam hears the tears in her voice before he sees them. 

She continues. “I know it’s hard, baby, and the only reason I’m scared about this is because I want to protect you from them. It’s not going to be easy, Li. He’s not going to make it easy on you.”

Liam knows how much joining the team is going to shake up Dan. The Ravens is Louis’ team and Dan’s made sure of that ever since Louis stepped into the school. He’s going to think his bastard is trying to steal his son’s game. Liam won’t be surprised if Louis is going to think the same.

“He’s not my father.” Liam replies, looking his mom straight in the eyes. “He has no power over me and I won’t let him be a factor in anything I decide to do with my life.” 

Karen smiles through her tears and Liam wraps his arms around her and hugs her tight. They’re going to be okay.

He goes to Whitey’s office the next day and tells him he’s got himself a new forward.

-

Louis

Louis had been kicking around a football ever since he could walk; it’s honestly all he’s ever known. And he loves it, every single bit of it. If he didn’t love the game so much, he probably would have already told his dad to go fuck himself a long time ago.

“What’s this I hear about that Payne kid joining the team?” is the first thing Louis hears as soon as he enters the house. News traveled fast in Tree Hill, not that he was surprised. His dad has eyes and ears everywhere. Like that fat bald guy with no balls from Game of Thrones.

His dad was sitting by their wooden counter, still in his suit from work with a glass of expensive scotch in front of him. Sometimes he wished his dad worked more late nights but being the boss had its perks., like getting home early to bitch at your son.

“Yeah, Whitey brought him over to practice already. No big deal, I’m sure I’m better than him.” Probably the reason Louis loved the game so much is because he was good, so good, at it. And he knew that. That’s why he wasn’t threatened at all by this kid. He just didn’t want him screwing up the team’s chances if he turns out to suck.

“And what if you’re not?” Dan demands, angrily. Louis’ halfway up the stairs when he hears this. Definitely wasn’t the reaction he was expecting. He expected his dad to be angry, but not scared.

“We both know I am, dad. It’s just Whitey being a bitch because he hates you and by association, me.” Louis just really wants this conversation to be over so he can go up to his room and forget this day even happened. Maybe he’ll call up Zayn and ask him to come over. He needs a joint and a good fuck. 

“I want him out of your team.”

“And how do you propose I do that, dad?” Louis asks, haughtily. He’s getting real tired of his dad sounding threatened for his sake. There was no way this kid was going to be any better than Louis, okay.

“Get inside his head, under his skin. Make him feel like he’s not welcome. Do something, Louis. I’ve seen him play and we don’t need someone dividing the attention of scouts.” Louis doesn’t know what surprised him more; the fact that his dad was this desperate or that he’s seen him play.

“You’ve seen him play? You think he’s better?”

“Of course not, son. But that’s your team and those are your scouts. We’ve worked so hard for this. Don’t let some bastard kid take that away from you.” Dan walks back to the living room, indicating that this conversation was over. Louis cannot fucking believe this day.

-

Harry

“Fucking hell, Liam!” is how Harry Styles greets his best friend when he sees him after second period. “What happened to being best friends and telling each other everything? I had to hear from Ed who heard from Pez who’s dating –“

“I get it, Haz. You know I’ve joined the team. Sorry I didn’t tell you.” Liam just gives him a smile and hitches his backpack higher. Liam and Harry have known each other since they were seven and Liam asked him to play football with when they were at the park at the same time. Only Harry turned out to be horrible at it, Liam was way too nice to tell him that so he continued to play with Harry until Harry himself introduced Liam to kids who actually knew how to play footie so he could have proper playmates. Harry resigned himself to the sidelines and discovered a new love for commentating the games.

“So are you going to be, like, proper popular now? You going to be buddy buddies with –“ Harry tries to think of the most popular guy in school so he can tease Liam but he thinks of Louis and, well, he can’t say that, obviously.

“Never mind,” he forgoes his joke, “so when’s your first game?”

They’re walking side by side now, Liam on his way to his next class and Harry on his way to the tutoring center.

“I haven’t even started training. Haz. I’m not even going to the one later because I have to go quit the animal shelter.” Liam visibly puts at having to do this. That’s the thing most people didn’t know about Liam Payne. He’s quiet in school, always has his head down and his hood up. People think he’s quiet and mysterious. But Liam lets his guard down around Harry. Not a lot of people know that Liam works at his uncle’s car repair shop most of the week and when he’s not he’s volunteering at places like the animal shelter, or that he’s weirded out by certain types of cutlery, or that really, he’s just an overgrown puppy. 

“Well, you know how much I hate anything to do with school spirit but I’ll be at your games.” He assures his best friend. Harry isn’t a fan of the Ravens, definitely isn’t a fan of their asshole of a captain, but if Liam is there then so is he. They’re kind of a package deal that way.

“Thanks, Harry. Will you be announcing from your seat on the bleachers?” Liam jokes but Harry doesn’t tell him that he actually plans to. That does sound a bit odd, he supposes. Maybe he shouldn’t.

“Liam Payne makes a joke, ladies and gentlemen.” Harry says in his exaggerated announcer voice. Liam just laughs.

“Well, I gotta go. Doing some paperwork for the center to pick up extra hours. See you at lunch!” Harry calls out, rushing to get to the room before the next bell rings.

Harry’s family is not rich. He’s got a single mother and a sister in a pretty expensive university his mom insisted she went to; they’re barely making ends meet. Which is why he tutors on the side. It was pure work first and Harry used to hate it. But when his first tutee came in this very room and handed him his first A, everything changed from there. Harry realized how much he loved helping people, getting them to do things they thought they could never do., getting them to believe in themselves (he is aware of how cheesy that sounds which is why he keeps that bit to himself).

He’s been in the tutoring center for thirty minutes, finishing paperwork, when someone walks in the door. He glances up to greet the person only to be stunned by the prettiest shade of blue eyes he’s ever seen on a pair of eyes.

“Um, hi? Are you Harry?” 

What the fuck is Louis Tomlinson doing here?

Here’s the thing: Harry hates Louis and everything he represents. He’s a trust fund kid and the star of their high school team so he knows he can get away with anything so he does fucking everything. He’s a downright twat in the classes he shares with him and drives his stupid Porsche around town like he friggin’ owns the place. Granted, they’ve ever never actually met, but still.

“Uh, yeah. Can I help you with something?” He says because he still has to be polite. He stands up and stacks the papers on the shelf at the corner of the room. Louis walks up to him with his right arm outstretched.

“Hi, I’m Louis.” Harry just looks at his arm and stares back up at him.

“I know who you are.” He says coldly. 

“Right,” Louis takes back his arm and sticks it in his pocket. He was wearing probably the tightest jeans Harry’s ever seen that’s not on his own legs and his shirt was hanging low on his neck that he can see a hint of a chest piece. Harry tore his eyes away form chest and back to his face that is really not all that better. Fucking cheekbones. 

“I need tutoring. For Chemistry. And possibly English. Maths, too, if we’re being honest.” Louis says, flushing a little. 

“Okay.,” Harry starts going through their list of tutors on the notebook on top of the table, “I can give you the numbers of some of our tutors and –“

“I was thinking you could do it actually.” 

Harry stops and looks back up at him. Is this guy being serious? He must know who Harry is or who Harry’s best friends with. They’re not that invisible.

“Why?”

“My mate, Niall, says you helped him out with Biology last year, says you’re really good and recommended you to me. I need the best, Harry, or else I won’t be able to play.” He says earnestly. Harry almost feels bad for him. Except he knows Louis puts zero effort in the classes they’ve been in together and then he stops feeling bad after that. Harry remembers Niall. He’s probably the only member of the footie team he actually likes. 

“I’ve got a lot of tutees this semester, I don’t think I can-“

“I’ll pay you double.” Louis says immediately. 

Harry needs the money, is the thing. He really, really needs it. But he can’t help but feel like he’d be betraying Liam if he did this, maybe Karen too. He knows they won’t take this against him, but still. He won’t feel right and the Paynes are like family to him already.

“Please, Harry. Football is honestly all I have. I can’t not play.” This Louis sounds so different from the Louis Harry’s familiar with. Now Harry actually feels bad. Football is probably the only thing Louis’ got going for him; his father would probably stop funding his lifestyle if he suddenly can’t play anymore. Harry’s heard the stories.

“I’ll think about it.” He says, finally. Damn him and his good heart. 

Louis absolutely beams at Harry’s words.

“That’s all I need! Here’s my number, just call me when you’ve decided.” He leaves right after that. Harry slumps on the table, taking his head on both his hands. He cannot believe that just happened. He’s got one question on his head, though.

When did Louis Tomlinson get so pretty?

\- 

Zayn

Zayn was lying on the floor of his room just staring up the ceiling. He just finished painting one side and was awfully tired. He was playing music because isn’t he always. Tonight it’s Joy Division. He closes his eyes as he lets the words take over. Halfway through his record, his phone rings. 

“Fucking Louis,” he mutters, completely ignoring his phone. He didn’t hate Louis; he actually kind of liked him. Zayn was one of those people Louis wasn’t so much of an ass around. They were actually friends. Zayn reckons he’s probably the only real friend Louis has, aside from Niall. And Zayn doesn’t really have many friends either. They were an odd pair, he and Louis. They met when they were ten because their moms were in the same book club. Louis was the only friend he had when his mom died from a car crash two years later.

Now they were… a thing. Zayn didn’t really know. They fucked when they were bored and sometimes when they’re not. They’re not really a thing, he decides. But he was in no mood to talk to people today. Tonight, he just wants to be alone with his music. 

Twenty minutes later the stillness gets too much and he decides to go for a drive. He gets inside his Comet and speeds off.

Zayn has this thing. No one knows about this, he doesn’t tell anyone. He likes to drive around alone a lot, it clears his head and it relaxes him, and when he does, he makes sure he drives every red light he sees. 

His mom died that way.

He doesn’t have a death wish, not really. He doesn’t want to put other people in danger, either. He knows how reckless he’s being. It’s just that… his mom ran one red light. He knows his mom would never have run that red light if she wasn’t in a hurry to get to Zayn’s piano recital (he hasn’t touched a piano in four years). His mom ran one red light.

Zayn runs them all the time and nothing happens. How unfair is that?

Something almost happens this time. He’s driving past that café he’s always wanted to try and it’s near an intersection and the stoplight is red. It’s almost two in the morning; Tree Hill is dead at this time, especially since it’s a weekday, and there is no one on the road but him. He speeds.

A figure in a grey hoodie kicking a football suddenly appears out of nowhere and Zayn could not have hit the break fast enough. The figure almost topples over in shock at almost getting killed by some speeding lunatic. He drops his hood and looks at Zayn.

It’s Louis’ brother. Zayn doesn’t really know much about him, Louis doesn’t say much, except to tell him to not call him his brother. Liam stares at him curiously through his window, Zayn doesn’t like it. He feels bare under that look. He rolls his eyes and glares. Liam stays rooted on the spot. Zayn annoyingly waves his arm to tell him to maybe move his ass if he doesn’t want him to actually run him over this time. Liam blinks and picks up his ball then jogs away.

Fucking weirdo. 

-

Niall

Niall eats dinner by himself on Wednesday nights. His parents both work night shifts on Wednesdays so dinner’s all up to him. He gets a couple of frozen pizzas from the fridge and heats them up. He’s not as rich as Louis so he doesn’t have maids coming in to do his bidding and make him dinner when his parents aren’t around. But they’re doing okay, he supposes. Niall’s an only child so it’s relatively easier for the whole family to try to make ends meet.

It’s still not easy though. Sometimes he hears his parents talk about their money problems and his heart just breaks. His parents are two of the most kind-hearted and hardworking people ever. Never mind him, they should be fucking millionaires if you asked him. 

So he got a job this summer as a pool boy for one of the richer families of Tree Hill, the Calders. Their daughter, Eleanor, went to school with him and they ran the same circles since she was a cheerleader and he was the football team’s goalie. She’s nice and witty, although they didn’t really do much talking that summer. Niall smirks at the memory. El assured him he would not get sacked if her parents found out (her parents were barely ever home, anyway) and he was a teenage boy and she’s fucking hot. The Calders paid well, too. Too bad the pool boy gig was only a summer stint and so was his little fling with Eleanor. They haven’t been together in almost two months. 

The microwave dings signaling that his food was ready. Two pans of frozen pizza, all for him. He may not have maids or a pool but he had pizza and, really, that is more than enough for him tonight. He settles in front of the television, turning on some reruns of Friends. He’s three episodes in when someone rings his doorbell. 

He opens the door to Eleanor’s tear-stained face.

“El? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?” he asks, genuinely concerned. What could have possibly happened that would lead Eleanor Calder, still in her uniform, sobbing, on his doorstep? 

“Niall, I… “ She sobs some more. Niall doesn’t know what to do so he takes her arms and gently pulls her inside his house.

“El, talk to me. What’s up?” He asks as soon as they’re on the couch. He wraps an arm around her. Eleanor wipes her tears away and takes a deep breath to steady her breathing. She looks at him with worried eyes.

“I’m pregnant.” 

-


End file.
